Regulation

Senate Dems pushing back against e-cigs that target children

Senate Democrats are doubling down on efforts to prevent e-cigarette companies from marketing to children.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif) on Tuesday reintroduced legislation that would target flavored e-cigarettes and cartoon packaging.

“Every day, more and more kids are trying e-cigarettes and developing a dangerous addiction to nicotine,” Boxer said in a statement. “This bill will immediately ban the outrageous marketing of e-cigarettes to children, including the use of candy flavors and cartoon advertisements that are shamelessly designed to lure and addict them.”

The Protecting Children from Electronic Cigarette Advertising Act, which has a number of Democrat co-sponsors, would leave it up to the Federal Trade Commission to determine what constitutes marketing to children.

E-cigarette companies adamantly deny claims that they market to children, but Boxer said that flavors like cotton candy and packaging that features cartoon characters appeals to them. 

The FDA is in the process of developing e-cigarette regulations that would ban sales to children, but the proposed rules do not address marketing.

Tags Barbara Boxer

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